Device for raising the under flats of carding-machines



a lateral position;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER H. GOULD, OF SHELBURNE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVICE FOR RAI SING THE UNDER FLATS 0F CARDlNG-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,079, dated January 25, 1881. Application filed January 21, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER H. GOULD, of Shelburne Falls, in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful device called a Relief-Plate, for Raising the Under Flats of Garding-Machines from the Central Cylinder, which is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, to which reference is made.

The object of my invention is to relieve the central or main cylinder of carding-machines from frictional contact with the surrounding stationary plates or flats (without necessitating their entire removal from the machine, as usually done) during the process of stripping or cleaning the said main cylinder, allowing it to be easily turned in its bearings.

The device is particularly applicable to the under-flat cotton-cards, as the attachment of the lower or under flats are such that they are more diflicult to remove from the machine than the ordinary top flats.

It consists of a curved or semicircular bar or plate and suitable operating mechanism arranged to act upon such flats as it may be necessary to disconnect from the cylinder to allow it to revolve freely.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of an under-flat card, showing the parts connecting with and operated by the device. Fig. 2 is a plan, and Fig. 3 a vertical section, of the relief-plate.

Similar letters of reference are used to desi gnate like parts.

A is the bottom, and B the top frame or side, of an under-flat card.

0 O G are top flats and I) D D under flats. They are provided with pintles E E E, arranged at their, ends to keep them in correct While gravitation holds the top flats to the cylinder N it has to be overcome by appliances to hold the under flats to their seats, and for this purpose spiral springs F F F are placed on the pintles E E E, between the flanges P and K, so arranged as to allow the pintles to slide freely through the flanges as thejiflats are thrown out to be stripped-by mechanism which it is not necessary to describe here.

H is a casing or shield to protect the spring from dirt, &c.

L is the relief-plate, which may be made of any suitable material, of such width, length,

and form as may be best suited to connect with the flats to be disengaged. As shown, it has upon its outer surface or periphery a projecting rim, Y, which enters the space between the flats and the flange 1?, upon which they seat, as seen at K, the curvature of the rim being made to correspond with that of the inner circle of the flats, so that it will slide under and engage with such as it is intended to lift. To operate it or throw it out radially from the center of the cylinder, it has cams X X, which are provided with suitable bearings V V, handles M M, and stop-pins T T, arranged so that proper movement of the handles disconnects the flats to which it is applied from the cylinder sufficiently to allow its free movement.

The application of the relief-plate at one end of the machine is generally sufficient for the purpose of disengaging the flats.

The operation of stripping or removing the waste cotton and dirt, which become matted into the clothing of cards, recurs at short intervals, and is a matter of considerable importance. For the flats, quite ingenious selfacting strippers have been devised; but the central cylinder has as yet to be cleaned by a hand card or comb. By the ordinary process the cylinder is uncovered or relieved of friction by the entire removal of the flats; but this makes labor which should be saved, especially with cards using the under flats. To save this labor I have designed the relief-plate, which I apply as shown in Fig. 1, the rim Y being in contact with a series of flats, and the cams X X, resting upon flange P, being turned to proper position, carries the flats from the cylinder, so that they will cause no friction, then, with a suflicient number of flats taken oli' to expose a portion of the cylinder for the combing, it may be revolved, as required, and the work soon accomplished, when a removal of the relief-plate leaves the flats again in position for use, thus saving much of the labor and delay incident to former methods.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The relief-plate L, provided with rim Y, the cams XX, and the handles M M, substantially as described, and for the purpose as set forth.

WALTER H. GOULD.

Witnesses:

J. A. MANNING, M. H. GOULD. 

